The pair - plus 23-year-old Oli Boon, who took third place - had taken part in a gruelling four-week contest to be crowned the country's best professional chef.

In the fiercely competitive final, the challenges included designing and preparing a Michelin standard course for more than 30 starred chefs, inspectors and restaurateurs.

They also had the opportunity to cook in the kitchens of Heston Blumenthal's The Fat Duck restaurant and as their final task were asked to serve up a three-course meal for the judges.

Keri - a freelance caterer from Nunhead - seemed over the moon with the judges' final decision.

She said: "Joint winners is just fantastic, we've had a good run together, Anton is awesome.

"Today has surpassed anything that I have ever achieved in my career, in my whole life, this is just massive."

Anton - who runs a pub with his wife in south Devon - added: "It's absolutely amazing; to share the title with someone that's so talented and so amazing is unreal. It's a good start to the rest of my life, mind-blowing."

It's the first time in the programme's history that two people have been crowned winners - but the move hasn't proved popular with viewers.

One wrote on Twitter: "If I'd wanted to watch something for days on end that resulted in a draw, I would've watched cricket."

Another said: "What a cop out, just make a decision #jointwinners."

And another fan posted: "I was disappointed by #Masterchef last night, what's the point in going through all that and then have joint winners??? Crazy #TeamAnton."